Charles Wesley, 1707-88
The hymn, originally in eight stanzas, was entitled “A Thought on Judgment” and was written for children! Why Wesley wrote such serious-minded hymns for children is explained in his preface to Hymns for Children, from which this hymn is taken:
There are two ways of writing or speaking to children. The one is to let ourselves down to them; the other, to lift them up to us. Dr. Watts wrote in the former way, and has succeeded admirably well, speaking to children as children and leaving them as he found them. The following hymns are written on the other plan. They contain strong and manly sense, yet expressed in such plain and easy language as even children may understand. But when they do understand them, they will be children no longer—only in years and in stature.
For comments on Charles Wesley, see [Hymn 6].
MUSIC. MARLOW was composed by Rev. John Chetham, 1700-63, an English clergyman, curate of Skipton.
502. Savior, lead me lest I stray
Frank M. Davis, 1839-96
The words and music were written on the deck of a steamer that plied between Baltimore and Savannah.
Frank M. Davis was born on a farm near Marcellus, New York, the youngest of a family of ten children. He began composing tunes at an early age and became a teacher of vocal and instrumental music. He travelled extensively through the eastern and southern states, directing chorus choirs and teaching vocal classes. He compiled several Sunday school collections, among them New Pearls of Song, 1877, and Notes of Praise, of which more than 100,000 copies were sold. Davis is the author of over 100 vocal and instrumental compositions. He died suddenly of heart failure at Chesterfield, Indiana, where he was attending a camp meeting.